Communities launch cleanup after severe weather and tornadoes churn across Midwest : NPR

Communities throughout the Upper Midwest are in the process of recovering after a series of tornadoes and severe weather events hit the region over the weekend. These weather conditions resulted in significant damage to numerous homes and left tens of thousands without power.

The National Weather Service reported “numerous” severe storms moving through parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri on Friday. A total of 66 tornado reports were filed in various states, including Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Iowa, according to the NWS office in the Quad Cities IA/IL.

Fortunately, no fatalities have been associated with these severe weather events and tornado outbreaks.

In Marion Township, Minnesota, approximately 30 homes were damaged by a tornado, with a dozen suffering significant damage, as reported by the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. The tornado also affected at least 20 homes in Stewartville, and a temporary shelter has been set up in Rochester for those displaced, according to MPR News.

“Tornado disaster recovery efforts are proceeding rapidly,” stated the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday.

In Illinois, officials in McClean County declared a disaster emergency due to severe storms in Bloomington. “No injuries have been reported at this time, and emergency response agencies are actively working to ensure public safety and maintain essential services,” officials noted in a statement.

Further north in the village of Lena, an EF-2 tornado inflicted the “most significant damage,” according to the NWS. The tornado damaged many homes and outbuildings, uprooted trees, and downed power lines. Roads were also blocked by debris, as confirmed by the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office .

People continue to clean up following a tornado, on Saturday in Lena, Ill.

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Chief Deputy Andy Schroeder from the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to NPR that there have been no fatalities and no reports of serious injuries related to the storm. In Illinois, more than 43,000 customers experienced power outages, but nearly all had their power restored by Saturday night, as reported by ComEd.

Wisconsin also experienced several tornadoes, according to the NWS office in La Crosse. The office issued 26 tornado warnings on Friday, marking the most in a single day since it was established in 1995.

In a town in Marathon County, a tornado destroyed 75 homes, as reported by Ringle Fire Chief Chris Kielman. “It wiped out an entire residential area,” Kielman noted, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.

The American Red Cross of Wisconsin has mobilized volunteers to assist those affected by the storm, providing meals, shelter, and support.

Some parts of the state are still coping with the aftermath of multiple severe weather events and tornadoes earlier in the week, which led to flooding in several communities.